Piano Phase Project | Monika Lozinskienė
Sound Meditation

Monday, February 24, 2025 | 6 p.m.

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland | AGOS13 studio

Sound Meditation is a project born in the spectacular forests of Western Canada. In August 2023, pianist Monika Lozinskienė together with pianist Anna Szałucka spent three weeks at an artist residency in Gibsons, BC, collaborating with filmmaker Bruce Devereux and artist Makiko Kitama.

Inspired by the mystical artistry of Lithuanian composer and painter M. K. Čiurlionis, celebrating his 150th birth anniversary this year, they created a new arrangement of his symphonic poem „In the Forest“ for piano four hands. This work, along with Čiurlionis's innovative approach to integrating various art forms, serves as the foundation of the project. Sound Meditation is a captivating blend of film screening and live performance, offering an immersive experience for both the eyes and ears.

As the Piano Phase Project duo, Monika and Anna aim to reimagine classical music by conceptually linking it with other art forms, including visual arts, painting, literature, and performing arts. Their collaborations with contemporary theatre performers, jazz musicians, dancers, visual artists, and podcasters invite audiences to experience classical music in fresh and exciting contexts.

Artists

Monika Lozinskienė, piano

Anna Szałucka, piano

Bruce Devereux, filmmaker

Makiko Kitama, painter

Teaser

Monika Lozinskienė

Career Center Project Scholar

Monika Lozinskienė is a dynamic pianist celebrated for her engaging performances and innovative musical ventures. As a soloist, chamber musician, and music entrepreneur, she brings rarely performed works to life, captivating audiences with fresh perspectives on both new and familiar repertoire. A City Music Foundation artist since 2022, Monika’s achievements have earned her accolades from Lithuanian Presidents Valdas Adamkus and Dalia Grybauskaitė.

A prize-winning performer, she has earned prizes at the Josep Mirabent i Migrans Chamber Music Competition (Spain) and the Tonia and Tania Webster Competition (Scotland). Monika has also appeared in festivals and performed across Europe, including the Newbury Spring Festival (UK), the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Pažaislis Music Festival (LT), Perth Concert Hall (UK) and St. Martin in the Fields (UK). She holds Master degrees from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.

Beyond the stage, she is the founder of the piano festival “Kaunas Piano Fest,” the “openARTed” podcast, and the global piano community “PianoBuffs,” reflecting her passion for connecting musicians worldwide.

www.monikapianiste.com

The Artist’s Journey

"The Sound Meditation project was a massive personal growth journey for me. It encouraged me to find collaborators on the other side of the world and taught me to tolerate constantly changing circumstances and the unknown. One of the most important parts of receiving this award was coaching sessions with mdw's Career Center. It taught me some extremely valuable lessons:
 

• As professional artists, we should not exploit ourselves, because it leads only to burnout and devastation.
• Having multiple streams of income makes you successful, not a failure.
• We should only use our 'emergency' resources (energy, time, money, etc.) when it is absolutely necessary, but it should not be a daily practice.
• Saying "No, this is my boundary" makes us powerful, not weak."
   

Monika Lozinskienė about The Sound Meditation